Social media marketing can be overwhelming for business owners. These days if a business is not involved in social media, it can impact your legitimacy online. The anxiety of not understanding where to begin keeps many small business owners awake at night.

Back in December, Forbes Contributor, Elaine Pofeldt spoke with our social media experts at Factory 360 to get the lowdown on how to streamline social media strategy for clients.

First off, use Facebook as your “Mothership.” Outside of your website, this is going to be the most likely place consumers will look for your business online. However, if your business is more centered in e-commerce, Pinterest is another social networking site you should leverage to drive sales.

The point is to stay focused. Do not over extend your brands social media presence. Being present with shallow engagement will not benefit your company.

The most important reason businesses should be present in the social space is to listen. Listen to your competitors, to your consumers, and to innovative brands in your industry.

The last point in the article is a reminder – do not hash out disputes through social media marketing. This will only hurt your brand by giving consumers a negative perception of your priorities. Factory 360 owner, Michael Fernandez said it best, “It’s like a bar altercation. Just take it outside.”